Which Cooking Appliances Help and Hurt a Food’s Nutritional Value?
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Key Takeaways
- Pressure cookers and steamers can help preserve more vitamins and minerals by reducing cooking time and limiting nutrient loss during preparation.
- While juice provides vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, it removes most fiber, an important nutrient that supports digestion, blood sugar control and heart health. Smoothies retain more fiber than juice.
- Air fryers can reduce fat and calories compared with deep-frying, while slow cookers make nutritious meals convenient. However, food choices and proper food safety practices remain key to maximizing health benefits.
When you want to get a kitchen appliance to make your life easier, you may wonder which one is the healthiest.
Here’s a look at several cooking appliances and how they may affect the nutritional value of your food.
Juicers
Juicing is a popular health trend in recent years, seen as an easy way to increase your fruit and vegetable intake. While you do get important nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin Kand antioxidants from various produce, per the Cleveland Clinic, you may want to think about what you lose when you juice.
Juicing is a process that removes the fiber from fruits and vegetables. About 90% of Americans don’t get enough fiber, so relying on juice for your health means you’re missing out on a key nutrient. Fiber is important for your digestion, blood sugar levels and cholesterol. It also helps you feel satisfied after a meal or snack. The fiber helps manage the natural sugar in fruit, and the juice will affect your blood sugar more than eating a whole piece of fruit.
If you regularly drink juice, try a smoothie because it retains the fiber.
Pressure cooker
Pressure cookers are quick and convenient ways to prepare a healthy meal – and they may have the benefit of preserving nutrients, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Why? Because the shorter cooking time may keep more vitamins and minerals in the food. You also may enjoy the texture and taste of foods cooked this way, which can make a healthy meal more enjoyable.
A healthy meal in a pressure cooker depends on what you put into it. are great for a nutritious dish.
Air fryer
The air fryer, which circulates hot air around food, is a quick way to get crispy texture without the oils of deep frying. Deep-frying can add trans fats, which can increase your bad cholesterol and increase your risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Certain air-fried foods are linked to some unhealthy compounds such as cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in fish. COPs are linked to an increase in heart disease, cancer and other medical conditions.
However, the air fryer is generally a great way to take traditionally fried foods and eliminate the unhealthy fats and calories. You can try crispy vegetables, healthier chicken wings or a hot chicken sandwich, for example.
Slow cooker
The slow cooker is a classic way to prepare a stew, soup or roast. Throw the ingredients in, turn it on and come back in several hours to a delicious meal. The slow cooker remains a convenient way to make a nutritious meal.
One thing to consider with slow cookers is food safety. Keep meat and vegetables refrigerated before using them because a slow cooker can take hours to get hot enough to kill bacteria, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Use thawed meat and vegetables rather than frozen when you make a meal. Don’t overfill your slow cooker either, because that can lead to food being undercooked.
Steamers
Whether you get a steaming appliance or a metal insert for a pot, this is an easy way to prepare vegetables and greens. Steaming is a great way to keep nutrients, flavor and moisture in vegetables, according to Tufts University. Roasting and frying – even microwaving – can destroy certain enzymes and nutrients that may help prevent cancer.
Other research has noted heat from steaming and cooking may result in the loss of other vitamins and minerals in the process. Steaming still preserves these nutrients more than other forms of cooking.
Most people in the United States don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Adding more produce, whether raw, steamed or roasted, will provide key nutrients for your physical health.
Photo credit: Getty Images
